Association of cytokines with hepatic fibrosis in schistosoma mansoni patients

The aim of the present study, is to evaluate the levels of production of the cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 following in vitro stimulation with soluble egg antigen (SEA) of peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture(PBMC) and study their relation to the degree of hepatic fibrosis in patients infected with schistosoma mansoni.The present study presents evidence for a role of type 2 immune response in the development of liver fibrosis in human schistosomiasis. The expression of IL-10, and IL-13 were associated with degree III hepatic fibrosis and the levels of IL-13 increased significantly in patients who developed more serious hepatic fibrosis over the course of the study. This study shows that low production of IFN-γ is associated with severe PPF in subjects living in areas endemic for schistosomiasis mansoni and that a reduction in IFN-γ might account for the higher risk to develop severe grades of periportal disease in infected patients.